Gifted by sukiethree
by Midnight Delight NYE Contest
Summary: Never in a million years would I have believed how a chance meeting on New Year's Eve would have gifted me with someone who'd change the rest of my life for the better. But when you know, you know.


**Contest entry for the Midnight Delight NYE Contest**

 **Title:** Gifted

 **Pairing:** Edward and Bella

 **Rating:** M

 **Word Count:** 9908

 **Summary:** Never in a million years would I have believed how a chance meeting on New Year's Eve would have gifted me with someone who'd change the rest of my life for the better. But when you know, you know.

 **Disclaimer:** Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

 **Gifted**

Rose and I squealed with excitement the day the tickets arrived.

We had been lucky enough to win a contest to The Neptune Theater to see current rock sensations, Gifted, a Jon Bon Jovi tribute band. They intrigued me, as there was something about the lead singer I really liked.

Once we'd gotten over that first jolt of excitement, there was just the small thing of ID's and of course, convincing Charlie, our father, that we'd be with friends. Mom was a shoe-in, she'd be happy for us to go, convinced that we would have a great time..

"Rose," I whisper yelled, after we'd heard Mom and Dad's bedroom door close. "Did you know it's on at the Neptune? You have to be over twenty-one to get in there. You can definitely pass, but I'll never be able to pull that off."

Rose and I were the same age and, believe it or not, twins. We were fraternal twins and looked as if we belonged in two different families. I took after our dad, Charlie, with boring brown hair and eyes, whereas Rose―well, she was way taller than all of us, and a blonde bombshell. Our mom, Renée, swore she was a throw-back from her side of the family, taking after a great grandmother. Since there were no pictures, there was no way to prove otherwise. If we hadn't been twins, Charlie might have been forgiven for thinking Rose wasn't his daughter.

Despite her outgoing and outspoken nature, which was all Renée, she was also clever and meticulous, just like Charlie. Me―I'd just inherited Mom's slightly scatterbrained character and inability to walk in heels.

"Pshaw." Rose brushed my exclamation off. "That's no problem. I'll ask Jake: I can trade a little bit of this―" Her hands skimmed down her sides. "And he'll fall all over himself to help out. Just need some photos and we're all set."

As it turned out, all she had to do was kiss a few frogs at the reservation and show a little more skin than usual―tits were always a sure thing, she'd said―and Jake was only too willing to provide what we needed. Two weeks later, while we were seated at the lunch tables outside the cafeteria, Jake took a seat right beside her and passed her an envelope. Rose quickly shoved it in her backpack, kissed him on the cheek, and then we hightailed it back to class, giggling to each other at how easy he was to please.

Even I had to admit that they looked really professional so I took Rose at her word and stopped worrying; at least about that.

Mom would probably have just said it was fine to go, even if we were breaking the law with fake ID's, but dad would never in a million years agree, so we just had to find a convincing reason why we would be out for most of New Year's Eve and not back until late New Year's Day. The tickets we won included a night in a hotel suite as well as dinner before the show and backstage passes to meet some of the bands.

"I spoke to Jessica," I said breathlessly, throwing myself on Rose's bed three days before the concert. Rose looked up from the rocking chair where she was meticulously painting her toenails. "Her parents are going to New York to watch the ball drop on New Year's Eve and they've given her permission to have a small party."

Rose laughed. "Jessica never does small. Don't her mom and dad know her at all?"

I shrugged. "She invited both of us, and I'm sure you could persuade her to tell a teeny little"―I held my finger and thumb apart a quarter of an inch―"lie, and if Dad asks we were there all evening," I finished triumphantly.

Rose looked thoughtful for a moment. "I could talk Mike into giving her a night to remember. I'm sure he'd like that and I know she has a crush on him. I'll speak to him first thing tomorrow."

"Can you do my toenails like that? I can never keep my hand steady enough."

We spent the rest of the evening experimenting with makeup and trying on everything in the closet, working out what we should wear. Nothing was good enough, and we wanted to at least look the right age, so we would have to make time for a trip to Port Angeles.

At school the following day Rose and I sought out Jessica, who agreed readily enough, especially with Mike's hand up her skirt and his lips on her neck. She would cover for us, if asked; I just hoped she'd remember.

The only thing left to do was to find something to wear and plan the best way to get to Seattle. Rose insisted we take her car―my truck was way too obvious―and I had to agree. I loved my truck, but it was loud, used too much fuel, and going above forty miles an hour was pushing it. One day, she said, she would have her own mechanics shop and she would refurbish the truck.

We looked at reviews for The Neptune and it's website, trying to get a feel for the vibe of the place before shopping in Port Angeles since we wouldn't have time in Seattle. Rose wanted to dress up and chose a short red dress with spaghetti straps that crossed in the back. I would never try to compete with Rose. Although my boobs were a little smaller than hers, my body was curvy, so I went with a short, tight, black lace dress with a chiffon overlay to show off my best assets. The heels on my shoes were a little lower than hers because I wasn't as steady in them as she was, but together we looked good.

We were up early on New Year's Eve and really excited, but tried not to make too much noise. Rising early would be suspicious since both of us took every opportunity to sleep in when we could. We'd spent a lot of the previous night in a whispered conversation, planning on what we would do and who we wanted to meet.

"I'm going to find me a hunky man and seduce him," she declared. "After Royce King, there has to be someone out there who knows what he's doing. I want good sex, not mediocre poking."

"Rose!" I gasped. "You're looking for a one-night stand?"

"Why not?" She shrugged. "I'm on the pill, I have condoms, and I want to go wild and live it up a little. It's not like I'm looking for a lifetime partner―just a little fun. What about you? Are you looking for a little excitement?"

I giggled. "I want a 'not so little' bit of excitement." I could feel my face color a little at how blatant that was, and then laughed out loud at Rose's look of amazement. "What?" I said. "You can get a one-night stand and I can't?"

"Well, no," she said. "It's just not like you, is it? You're usually more into longer-term relationships."

"After Eric cheated on me, with Lauren Mallory of all people, I've decided it's my turn to live a little, too. After all, It's not like I'm looking for a lifetime partner. Besides, I want to lose my virginity to someone who knows what they're doing, not a schoolboy."

A huge smile lit Rose's face at my bare-faced confession, but she didn't say anything. I knew she wasn't a virgin, having given it up to Royce King a few months ago, but I couldn't help but feel this evening was going to be a turning point in our lives. We were off to college in September, both of us would be nineteen by then, and we were looking forward to the change that going to Udub would bring.

Trying not to raise any suspicions, Rose and I laid around for a few hours in the morning―all very normal. We'd packed a small suitcase each with nightwear, toiletries and our dressy clothes for the evening along with a change of underwear. I was pretty sure that a luxury hotel would supply services for us to make sure our clothes were wrinkle free, and a hairdryer to make sure we looked our best. Once Mom and Dad had gone to bed last night, I snuck downstairs and stowed the bags in the trunk of Rose's car so we'd be prepared long before it was time to go.

All day I was really antsy and found it hard to relax or eat. Rose kicked me under the kitchen table, warning me with her eyes to stop fidgeting. After lunch we told mom that we were going to head to Jessica's to help her set up for the evening.

She nodded as we sped upstairs to collect a backpack with our 'teenage' party clothes and then fled, laughing, to the car, just in case she found something else for us to do. We piled into the car and headed to Jess's to remind her about covering for us. There was little chance of Dad turning up in his Chief of Police role as he and Mom were off to dinner this evening at The Lodge.

Having done that, we headed out of Forks onto the 101, stopping at the first gas station to fill the tank and grab coffees and chips for the journey. The weather wasn't too bad for December thirty-first, and the sky was gray, but at least it wasn't raining. At just after twelve we had eight hours to get there, get ready for dinner, and be at the show. While Rose drove, I pulled a playlist together to include all our favorites from Bon Jovi, and we sang at the top of our lungs until we got to the ferry.

From then on the trip went quickly and we arrived at the hotel around four in the afternoon. We were greeted by the contest representative who helped us to check in and accompanied us to the room. He opened the door with a flourish and directed the bellhop to place our suitcases just inside the door.

Leaving the key cards on the console table, he left us to explore, reminding us to be downstairs at six-thirty for our limousine ride to the restaurant..

"Wow, Rose, look at this," I called as I made my way to the separate bedroom in the suite. Flinging open the doors to the balcony, I stepped outside. "You gotta see this, Rose."

Rose joined me and we stared at the view out over the Sound. The sun had come out momentarily and was setting over the water, making everything glow and sparkle before sliding below the horizon. Heading back inside, I stood in the doorway to the separate living room. It held enough sofas to seat ten people, let alone just the two of us. With windows on the whole corner we had a view over the city and the Sound.

"Hey, Bella. Come and look at this bathroom." Rose's voice sounded from behind me. "It's even got a sunken bath. I get the first one."

I could hear the sound of water splashing into the tub as she made good on her statement. I figured I'd get in the shower once she was in the bath and we'd be on time for dinner. In the meantime, I lifted the phone on the table in the living area and asked if it was possible for someone to collect and press our dresses. The woman on reception said she could arrange for that to be done in an hour and would send someone to the room to collect them.

Rummaging around in Rose's bag, I found her dress and then opened the door to hand that and my things to a young girl in the hotel uniform. I thanked her and then retreated to the bathroom, where Rose was still neck-deep in fragrant bubbles.

"You'll get all pruney if you stay in there much longer," I said as I stripped off my clothes and stepped into the shower. We'd used the bathroom at the same time for a few years now, ever since we'd gotten old enough to want to get dressed up, so it wasn't unusual for us to be in there at the same time.

After finishing her bath and my shower, we moisturized, did our make-up, and used the hotel hairdryer, and curling iron to finish our hair. By the time that had been done, the young girl had returned with our clothes and it was getting close to five-thirty. Dinner would be at seven, giving us time to get to The Neptune, which was close to the restaurant, by nine thirty for drinks and the warm-up act.

Right on time we headed down the elevator at five minutes to seven find the contest representative already waiting in the opulent foyer. Not used to the luxury or the attention, we both felt a little out of place but had decided that if we were going to pull off being twenty-one, we'd have to act the part. The limousine was out of this world with enough seats for ten people. A bottle of champagne was in an ice bucket, already uncorked, an open invitation for our first drink of the evening. I was determined I would not overdo it; just drink enough to lose any inhibitions.

We didn't want to be asked for proof of age at the restaurant, so we stuck to water and soda. The real test would be when we reached the club, although we were surprised that we hadn't yet been asked any questions by anyone.

The Neptune was only five minutes from the restaurant, but again the limousine was waiting for us outside. "It's a wonder rich people can walk at all," I whispered to Rose. "They spend so much time being chauffeured around, it's a wonder their legs don't seize up." The thought of that and the glass off champagne we imbibed had us giggling through the short ride and our entrance to the club; no waiting in line for us.

The Neptune was all I expected and more. The lights were dim and it was crowded with people, some dressed up, some more casual, and I didn't think either of us felt out of place. The air was filled with chatter and laughter, all melding together to make an unforgettable atmosphere. This was going to be a night to remember; I could tell already that it would be the beginning of something good or even great.

A table had been reserved for us, not too near the stage but in a position where we'd be able to see everything. After the representative showed us to it, he disappeared, leaving us with a card which he said would get us anything from the bar. He told us that the limousine would be waiting outside for us whenever we wanted to leave.

"Let's get a drink from the bar, Rose. I don't want to just sit here and wait for the act; it makes me feel a bit self-conscious."

Rose nodded her agreement, so instead of sitting tight we worked our way through the crowd to the bar. It was manned by bartenders, all handsome and all dressed alike. Rose led the way, expertly pushing her way through lines which were six deep to the vast, deeply polished bar.

"I can't believe they let us in with these fake ID's." I giggled as Rose attracted the attention of one of the bartenders.

"Why would they, Bella? Look at us!" She pointed to the mirror behind the bar.

I looked at the image of the two girls dressed up, flushed and looking happy. I felt a surge of confidence. We _did_ look good. The champagne we'd already drunk in the limousine had played its part in creating the sparkle in our eyes, even what I considered to be my dull brown ones.

I turned to Rose, suddenly full of confidence. "You're right, it's New Year's Eve. Nobody's going to turn us away. There are parties everywhere, but we're here for the band. I've been dying to hear them, and this is our chance. Now, let's figure out how we're going to celebrate."

"Don't you mean with whom?" Rose grinned like a loon, remembering what we'd been talking about for the last few days. We were determined that there would be someone to celebrate with.

"In that case, why don't we start with a cosmopolitan?" She laughed, and with more confidence she turned back to the bartender who'd appeared in front of us.

"What can I get for you two pretty ladies tonight?" He was cute, but he didn't do anything much for me.

Rose fluttered her eyelashes, flirting shamelessly. "Two cosmopolitans and two Coronas with lime, please." He nodded his head, taking the card Rose offered him. We watched as he prepared our first adult drinks and run the card through the register.

"Two drinks, Rose? Are you sure?"

"Of course. It's pretty busy and the band is about to hit the stage, so I didn't want to be getting up again too soon."

I nodded my agreement and the bartender returned a minute or so later, handing the card to Rose and placing our drinks on fresh napkins on the bar top. There were no bar stools so we turned our back to the bar.

I looked around the crowd. A few guys caught my eye, but as we moved toward the stage and our table, the lead singer of the cover band, Gifted, began crooning out everyone's favorite songs with a rich, velvety voice leaving me and all the other women mesmerized.

I grabbed Rosalie's arm. " _Who_ is _that_?"

Reaching for the leaflets on the reserved table, Rose picked one up and checked through the blurb on the band. "Hmm, he must be Edward Cullen. The drummer is Emmett McCarty, Jasper Cullen―must be Edward Cullen's brother or maybe cousin―is on keyboards, and the guitar player is Riley Biers."

"He's gorgeous. I think I'm going to pick him for my celebration." I couldn't drag my eyes away from him, standing up to get a better look.

"Bella, he's too old for you." Rose took my hand, dragging me back to my seat as she whispered her warning in my ear.

"How do you know? And how old is too old? He can't be over thirty." I'd always like older men, and he was way too delicious to give up on. "I'm betting he'd be good."

"Yes, and you're only eighteen and would be in over your head with him. He's been around."

"I'm nearly nineteen, Rose, the same age as you. What the heck has that got to do with anything. Besides, how do you know he's been around? It's hardly printed on that leaflet," I said scornfully, finally turning to look at her.

"We're not nineteen until September, Bella, and considering how old he is, and the fact that he plays in a band, there's no doubt in my mind that he's had a lot of women, Look at them." She waved her hand at the women standing as close to the stage as they could get; two deep in some places. "You can't tell me he hasn't taken advantage of those sort of women."

"Well, what if he has?" I shrugged. "That just means he knows what he's doing, and I'm willing to learn a thing or two. He can teach me."

Right then, he lifted his head and his eyes caught mine. They were emerald green and so intense that I couldn't look away. Rose's voice continued but he had me in his sights and there was no way I was letting him go now.

"You and everyone else, Bella. Good luck with getting close to him. I'm going to focus on that drummer."

"That's a heck of a lot of double standard, Rose. They have to be around the same age, same profession, so how do you know Emmett hasn't been around, too?"

Rose shrugged. "You're right, Bella, but if you don't mind about Edward's age, then I don't mind about Emmett's."

I laughed and shook my head at her logic, and instead turned back to the stage as the band headed into another medley. Instead of standing, someone had provided him with a barstool, placing it at the front of the stage.

Edward took the seat, tuning up a guitar and setting the microphone at just the right height before speaking.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen." His voice was gravelly and low, causing a tightening in my lower belly. "We're here to entertain you this New Year's Eve, so this next song will be the last this side of the New Year."

With that, he played straight into a medley of slow rock songs, and with his eyes on mine, it felt as if he was singing directly to me. My heart beat faster and wilder and the butterflies rolled in my stomach.

In no time at all, Edward was standing and heaving his guitar into the air as the large screen to the left-hand side of the stage lit up with a view of the Space Needle where the countdown was about to begin.

"Come on, Rose, now's our chance. Almost everyone will be out here drinking in the New Year and I want to be kissing him, instead."

Searching in my purse, I found the pass the rep had handed to me earlier in the evening and headed toward the right-hand side of the stage. The two security guys looked intently at our passes and then allowed us through the roped off hallway, telling us that someone would meet us at the next door to escort us to the Gifted dressing rooms.

Now that we were away from the club floor, we could barely hear the crowd; our footsteps were muffled by the carpet under our feet. Holding hands, we approached another door which was opened from the other side by yet another security guard who then walked ahead of us, stopping in front of a door with 'Gifted Dressing Room' pinned to it.

A small knock elicited quiet words of 'come in' from the other side, and the guard opened the door to reveal Edward Cullen sitting on an old sofa up against the wall. There was the expected bulb-lit mirror with makeup items and empty beer bottles strewn over it, and a clothing rack to one side, holding what I assumed to be changes of clothing, although I had no idea if they were all for Edward or for the whole band.

Opposite the sofa was an open door, through which I could see the drummer who still had his sticks in his hand, tapping against the edge of a table. There was no sign of the other two band members.

"Hi, girls." Edward's voice was still gravelly, probably caused by belting out songs for the last couple of hours. The cigarette hanging from his lips added to the allure, though the smoke from it did cause my eyes to water a little.

"H … hello," I managed to stutter a greeting, now a little nervous faced with a sweaty Edward Cullen. My eyes were drawn from his piercing green eyes to the unbuckled belt at his waist and the wet marks on the front of the black t-shirt, all evidence of the energy he had expelled on stage.

"Come on in, I don't bite―unless you ask." He grinned and winked at me and my heart stuttered in my chest. What the heck was he doing to me?

Emmett sauntered into the room as soon as he caught sight of us. "Well, what have we got here? Hello, girls, you come to see me?" His words were directed to both of us but his eyes were on Rose, who stepped around me, holding out her hand to him.

"I'm Rosalie Swan, and this is my twin, Isabella."

"Bella," I added quickly, my gaze drifting back to Edward, drawn to him like a moth to a flame. "My friends call me Bella." I managed to get the words out without a stutter this time.

"So, friend Bella, you wanna come sit beside me? Emmett, can you find a couple of beers for the ladies?"

Emmett turned and slipped back into the other room and returned quickly with two unopened bottles of beer. We watched as he knocked the tops off against the edge of the table and handed one each to Rose and me. Edward patted the seat beside him on the sofa and I sat carefully on the very edge, taking a sip from the bottle.

"Well, Rosie," Emmett's voice was loud and boomed around the room. "How about me and you take it into the next room and get to know each other a little better?"

Rose looked at me and I gave her a slight nod to tell her that I'd be okay. She stood to follow him, leaving the door between the two rooms half open. After all, even though we had both decided these guys would, if they were willing, help us celebrate the end of the year, we each wanted to make sure the other was safe.

~o~ Gifted ~o~

There was a few minutes silence in the room; I had no idea what to say now.

Edward seemed to understand that I was nervous and stood, putting his cigarette out. "Do you mind?" he asked, lifting his arms and taking hold of the back of the t-shirt at the neck. "This is getting uncomfortable now and I really need to take it off."

I nodded and watched him drag the shirt over his head, leaving his hair sticking up even further than it had been before. His skin was lightly tanned with a huge tattoo of an eagle spread across his chest. In the quiet of the room, I could hear the rumble of Emmett's voice from the next room as he and Rose talked, and the faint cheers from the room outside where the fireworks, it seemed, had now started.

After grabbing another beer and lighting another cigarette, Edward pulled a beanie over his wild hair and sat back beside me, leaning back on the sofa. There was silence for a few minutes as I tried to relax, eyeing his tattoos surreptitiously, or so I thought.

"You can ask about them, if you like." Edward's velvet over gravel voice interrupted the silence.

"Why the eagle?" I asked curiously. "I mean, I like it, but what does it mean?

"It has two meanings, apart from being the symbol of America. It symbolizes wisdom, power, and spirituality, and also masculine strength and me personally, I would hope that if I ever make it big in the business, I would use the power it brings wisely. It's the spiritual heart of America, too. The masculine strength and virility bit, that's pretty obvious in a very personal way." He laughed. "Plus, I just liked the way it looked."

"What's this one?" This time I touched his bicep, feeling his skin warm under my hand. The feeling it evoked in me was like a continuous jolt of electricity running through me just under my skin. From where my hand rested, I could see goosebumps raise and race down his arm, mirroring those on my body. I looked up at him but didn't remove my hand.

His eyes grabbed mine, his look cautious, and I wondered if he had that same feeling, but he said nothing about it.

"That's my family crest; everyone in my family has one in some form or another, and I wanted something more permanent. Jasper is my brother; he wears a leather wristband, and his wife, Alice, a choker or necklace depending on what she's wearing. My dad has a signet ring and Mom has a bracelet with a charm. Mostly it means loyalty; shows we're a family, even though not all by blood. Emmett has a wristband, too, though he's actually my cousin."

"I've always wanted to get a tattoo, but my dad would go mad if he found out. One day, maybe, I'll be brave enough."

His smile was soft. "If you're going to mark your skin for eternity, any tattoo should always mean something to you. If you decide to get one, make it count."

I continued to sip my beer while we were talking and that and his sweet demeanor gave me a chance to relax and enjoy his company now that most of my nervousness had disappeared. So when he drained the last of his bottle and placed it on the floor, I did the same with mine, and before I could change my mind, I shifted and straddled him as he leaned back against sofa.

My eyes flicked between his eyes and lips, making it clear what I wanted, and as I was building my courage enough to kiss him, he leaned forward. At my sharp intake of breath, his lips stopped millimeters from touching mine, his hot breath wafting over my mouth smelling of cigarettes and beer. His arms wound around me, pulling me toward his naked chest.

"I want to kiss you," was all he said. I was holding my breath, suddenly unable to take another, nor speak a word. He took that as permission and his lips met mine, branding me for all time. My hands clutched at the hair at the nape of his neck, needing something to anchor myself to reality as his tongue ventured into my mouth.

Eric had never kissed me this way, despite having reached second base, and I had a feeling that I'd be going a lot further tonight and couldn't wait. My reciprocation may not have been expert, but the groan he gave when my tongue invaded his mouth sounded appreciative. His large hands cradled my head, his long fingers tangling in my hair while the other smoothed over the bare skin on my upper back before sliding around and cupping my lace covered breast.

I gasped at the bolt of pleasure that zinged it's way through to my clit, where it throbbed in time to my heartbeat. I'd never imagined that the two were so connected. My head fell back to allow me to take a breath, but he didn't stop there; his wet, heated kisses continued down my throat and across my collar bones, venturing to the swell of my breasts.

Leaning back until my head touched his knees, I arched my back to give him more access, the tight skirt of my dress rising further up my thighs. It was already short and I was so turned on that I couldn't seem to find it in me to care that he was probably able to see how wet my panties already were.

Both of his hands roamed over my breasts now, rubbing and tweaking at my nipples until I was a hot mess. "Touch me, please." My words came out as a moan.

His fingers dipped inside the top of my dress, pushing it down and baring my breasts to his mouth. He engulfed first one nipple, then the other in his hot mouth. Idly, I wondered if it was possible to come from that alone when I felt a hand slide from my knee to my inner thigh and brush over my covered pussy. This time, I knew the groan came from me.

"Here?" he questioned.

"Yes, yes, please," I almost begged, wanting nothing more than for him to touch me.

His fingers delved under the edge of my panties, his thumb brushing over my clit while one long digit slid inside me. I widened my legs a little and tilted my hips toward him to encourage him. I wanted more. A second finger stretched me deliciously, reaching a spot inside that sent a shiver from my toes to my ears and made every hair follicle on my head stand to attention.

The spring in my belly wound tighter and I was almost scared to let go; I knew that whatever was going to happen, it would be epic. The panting coming from my mouth was embarrassingly loud, but I didn't seem to be able to bring my breathing under control as Edward's fingers stroked me inside and his thumb rubbed me from the outside. At the same time, he moved his touch from one nipple to the other, tweaking them harder with each switch.

My trembling hands rose to my hair where they tangled and gripped hard before moving down to my breasts. Taking over from Edward's fingers, I pulled at my nipples.

"Come on, Bella, give it to me." Edward's voice penetrated the fog to reach my ears, and with a loud unladylike grunt, every muscle in my body from my arms to my thighs tightened. My toes curled with the force of my orgasm, and Edward continued to stroke my clit and what was probably my g-spot lightly, extending the pleasure until it was almost pain.

I gave one last shiver as he ceased his movements, withdrawing his fingers and kissing the inside of my knee. I kept my eyes closed and bit my lip. _Heck, now I was really embarrassed,_ I thought, not quite sure what to do next.

"That was fucking hot, Bella. So tight. I can't wait to get my cock in there." Edward's voice brought me back to reality and his hands rested on my wrists, offering to help me sit up. The blood rushed to my head and I rested it against his shoulder, waiting for my breathing to slow and my heartbeat to return to normal.

A light knock on the door made me tense up and look behind me, thinking that it was probably Rose wondering where I was and what I wanted to do. The connecting door was still open but the room beyond was in darkness. I pulled my dress up at the top to cover my breasts as Edward called 'come in'.

"Oh, hi, Edward." I recognized Riley as the fourth member of the band. "Er, I just wanted to let you know that Jazz and Alice have taken off for the hotel, and I've no idea where Emmett's gotten to, probably with some chick. Everything's loaded and locked up, and I'm off now, too."

As the door closed, my phone buzzed in my purse. Edward passed it to me, and I checked the message that had only just arrived.

 _ **Hey, B. Don't worry 'bout me, I'm with Em at his hotel. Same one as ours just one floor down. Sorry I didn't wait to tell you, but you seemed kinda busy. ;-)**_

I skipped to the next text.

 _ **Hi, Bella. It's Emmett here. Rose is with me and I promise she's safe. I'll make sure she gets back to your room whenever she's ready.**_

I became aware of the look Edward was giving me, waiting for me to read my texts before speaking. "What do you want to do? There's a party a block away we can go to, or we can stay here for a bit and talk."

The alcohol I'd drunk this evening had worn off but I was comfortable with Edward now, and didn't need any more to make a suggestion. "Or, since Rose is away, we could go back to my hotel 're staying in the same one, by the way. I'm sure that this"―I pressed my pussy hard against the bulge in his jeans―"isn't going to go away easily. We could do something to take care of it."

His hips jerked up against me, the friction rubbing against my already sensitive pussy. I bit my lips and looked at him through my eyelashes. I wasn't really trying to flirt, but whatever I'd done, I could feel him harden more underneath me.

"If you're sure. I don't want you to do anything you don't want to. We can just have another drink and get to know one another."

"I'm sure." I nodded and kissed his lips, slipping my tongue into his mouth suggestively. He groaned against my mouth and then helped me up from his lap. My legs were a little stiff, having been folded on each side of his thighs, but Edward held onto me until I'd worked out the kinks and could stand on my own.

Donning a clean white t-shirt and a leather jacket along with a backpack, he opened the door and grabbed my hand. I shivered as we left the building through a small door at the rear of the building; it was pretty cold in comparison to inside. Immediately, Edward stopped and dragged his jacket off and slipped it over my shoulders.

The jacket smelled faintly of cigarette smoke and cologne, a mix I knew I'd come to think of as Edward's own scent. "You'll freeze, Edward."

"I'll be fine, babe. We can get a cab on the main road just up there."

"I almost forgot. I have a limousine waiting for me at the front door."

"A limo?" he questioned. "Just who are you, Bella Swan?"

"Rose and I won a contest and it included a hotel room and a limo." I shrugged as we walked quickly toward the main road to find that the limo was still waiting, the engine on and the driver keeping it warm. At the sight of me, he stepped out and opened the rear door, looking closely at Edward.

"Everything okay, Miss Swan? Just you?"

I nodded and told him that Rose had already returned to our hotel as I stepped inside, followed by Edward. The driver looked at me a little searchingly until I raised an eyebrow and then he stepped back, closing the door before taking the driver seat. I raised the privacy glass and giggled at Edward's grin. "A girl could get used to this."

~o~ Gifted ~o~

The ride to the hotel seemed to be short and, before long, I was leading Edward along the carpeted hall toward the room I shared with Rose. Inside, the room was in semi-darkness, lit with a single large lamp in the living area and another in the bedroom. There was no sign of Rose and both beds had been turned down. I could feel my face flush as I looked at the beds, knowing what I wanted but not sure if I was brave enough to take that step.

Edward seemed to understand how I was feeling and slipped his jacket from my shoulders and threw it across the back of the sofa, dropping his bag inside the bedroom door.

"Why don't we take a bath?" he suggested. "I haven't had a chance to get a shower yet, and I've spent two hours under hot lights." He lifted his arm. "Yup, really need a bath."

His actions broke the nervous silence and I slipped off my shoes and headed toward the bathroom, setting the temperature of the water and adding some of the luxury bubble bath before returning to the bedroom. Edward stood waiting with his hands in the back pockets of his jeans, looking all kinds of delicious.

Before I could lose my nerve, I stepped up close to him and slid my hands around his waist onto the warm skin of his back. Standing on tiptoe, because he was at least a foot taller than me, I kissed his jaw, something I'd wanted to so since I'd first laid eyes on him.

My hands fumbled for his belt, undoing the buckle, drawing it through the belt loops and dropping it to the floor. The material of his jeans felt soft and old, the button fly coming apart under my fingers easily. Sliding my hands around the waistband, I pushed them down far enough that they, too, fell to the floor. I would have loved to have had the courage to slide my hands into his boxers and touch his cock, but for the moment, I allowed my nerves to dictate to me.

Instead, I turned my back to him. "Can you unzip me, please?" I asked quietly. I felt his cool fingers stroke across the bare skin on my back and the goosebumps that followed them before he slid the zipper down. I murmured a thank you and allowed the dress to fall to the floor.

Dressed in only my panties, I headed for the bathroom and turned off the water, slipping them off and quickly sliding into the heated water. I almost heaved a sigh of relief until Edward walked into the bathroom dressed only in his boxers, which he unselfconsciously stepped out of and into the water at the other end of the bath. His cock was half hard, but I pretended not to notice, even though my face colored.

Immediately, the slight awkwardness that had developed eased. Edward seemed to understand my nervousness and didn't say a word, instead encouraging me to turn around and lean against his chest. The electricity was back and, despite the warmth of the water, goosebumps marched across my skin.

"Do you want to keep your hair dry?" he asked. When I nodded he reached for the shelf behind the bath and expertly tied my hair up on top of my head.

"Where did you learn to do that?"

"Alice is my younger sister, and when she started school she wouldn't allow anyone to touch her hair. She said Mom was too rough and Dad didn't know how, so I became an expert. I never lost the knack."

"She's the one who left with your brother?"

"Yes, they're married, and yes, I know his name is Cullen, but he's my adopted brother. Alice told him when she was six and he was eleven that she would marry him." He laughed. "He had no chance. People do think it's odd, but you love who you love, don't you?"

"Sort of like when you know, you know," I mused.

"Yeah, something like that."

Edward unwrapped a natural sponge, one of those the hotel had supplied, and dipped it in the water before squeezing it out over my shoulders and down my arms. I leaned back against him further, my head now resting on his shoulder, my arms reaching back around his neck. He ran the sponge over my breasts, bringing my nipples to life.

A low moan broke from my throat and I felt his cock harden behind me, but he made no move to touch me lower down, which is where I really wanted his hands to be.

"Tell me about yourself, Bella. Are you in college? What are you studying?"

I did think about lying, but somehow I wanted him to know the truth about me. I wanted him to want me despite the obvious difference in our ages. "I'll be heading to Udub in September with Rose. Believe it or not, she's my twin."

"You look absolutely nothing alike, at all."

I giggled, shaking my head slightly at how girly I felt with Edward. "Everyone says that, but it's true―non-identical twins. Mom always says Rose looks like her great-grandmother, but we don't have any photos. But since we both arrived at the same time, the truth is undeniable."

"I assumed that since you were in the club, you were old enough to drink." His voice wasn't accusing, just interested. "How old are you?"

I sighed, hoping that my age wouldn't be a deal breaker. "We'll be nineteen on September thirteenth."

"I'll be thirty-one in June."

Edward resumed washing my breasts, occasionally dipping below the water. "What are you planning on studying?"

"It has to be literature, though I have no idea what I'll do with it when I graduate. Maybe I'll study journalism, too. I suppose that could help me with a career, but to be honest, I don't know what I want to do. Mostly, I'd like to write."

"Do you write now?" His lips were on the bare expanse of my neck, distracting me from what he was saying.

"Hmm, yes, I write poetry, song lyrics, and sometimes short stories." After a few minutes silence, I asked, "What do you want to do, other than what you're doing now?"

"I love playing in the band, and I write music and some lyrics. One day, we hope that someone important will be in the crowd and we'll get offered a recording contract. For now, what we do generates enough to give us a good living. But that's not what it's about, really; I want to get my own music out there for the world to listen to."

"I love your voice. I think you'll make it one day. I'd love to be there to see it."

"Thank you, sweetheart, for your confidence in me."

I felt warm and drowsy wrapped in his arms, and we lay back, the silence adding to the bubble we were surrounded in. Eventually, the water cooled and my thoughts were echoed by his words.

"Come on, let's get you out of this bath. We can't let your beautiful skin turn pruney, can we?"

He stood and stepped out of the bath, grabbing a towel from the rail and wrapping it around his waist. Holding out his hand, he helped me out. He dried my skin and then, wrapping me in another warm towel, lifted me into his arms and carried me into the bedroom. When he lay me down on the bed, I thought he was going to leave so I held out my hand, inviting him to get in beside me.

"I'm just going to get my phone from my jeans, babe, I'm not going anywhere." He bent down, his ass clearly outline against the towel. I blushed profusely when he straightened and turned before I could look away, but he said nothing, merely grinned and stalked toward me, then crawling over the bed to lean over my body.

My heart went all kinds of crazy, almost beating out of my chest, as he lowered his body onto mine. His kisses were driving me wild and I knew I wanted more, but frustratingly, Edward moved off and lay beside me, pulling my body against his.

Despite my protests of not being tired, I found myself drifting asleep, secure and warm in his arms. I woke some time later, the bedroom only lit with the faint light from the living room, with my back to his, his hand inside the towel that had been wrapped around me. His thumb was drawing circles on my skin, which pebbled with each swirl. Without a single space between our bodies, I could feel him hot and hard against my ass, flexing and pushing against me with every circle of his thumb.

Pushing back against him, I let him know that I was awake, but didn't say anything. I wanted him to want me. He stilled, his hand ceasing its movement, and I took the opportunity to cover it with mine and direct it until it covered my breast. Immediately, his grip tightened and my nipple hardened. His hips flexed again, this time harder and more insistent.

I knew Edward was a little reluctant to take it all the way; maybe because of my age, or maybe he'd worked out that I was a virgin. I would have to let him know somehow; I didn't want him to feel guilty, but for the moment I wasn't prepared to say anything that would stop him.

I turned over and slid my leg over his hip and his hand left my nipple, sliding down my body and between my legs. His fingers repeated the actions of earlier in the evening, and it wasn't long before I fell apart, a white-light kind of orgasm speeding through me.

Sometime between me falling asleep and now, he'd removed his towel and it was my turn to slide my hand down his torso, the first time I had touched him so intimately. His lips touched mine, his tongue invading my mouth as I took his hardness in my hand. It didn't take long for the pre-cum to provide lubrication, and his grunts and hip thrusts to increase.

Resting my forehead on his chest, under his chin, I whispered, "Does this feel good?"

I felt as much as heard his voice as it rumbled through his chest. "Yes, fuck. You'll have to stop, though, or I'll come in your hand, and I want to be inside you when that happens."

I slowed the movement of my hand and tilted my head up to look at him. Gently, he moved over me, settling his naked body between my thighs, his hands on either side of my face. I could see the glint of his eyes in the dim light as he lowered his lips to mine. Somehow I got the feeling that the kiss was more.

"You're so beautiful, Bella. Are you sure?"

"Yes, Edward, I'm sure. I want this. I have to tell you―"

"Shhh, I know. I know I'm your first, and I promise I won't hurt you if I can avoid it." He stopped just inside me. "Let me love you." His whispered words seemed to say more, but I nodded against the finger he'd placed against my lips.

He eased himself inside me slowly, withdrawing a few times before delving deeper. He was much larger than I'd expected, but other than a slight pinch, within a short time he was as far inside me as he could get, where he stilled for a few moments.

"It's so tight, Bella. I can feel you squeezing me; give me a minute." His head dropped to my shoulder. My need to move was almost impossible to ignore, so I closed my eyes, sliding my arms around his neck. The shorter hairs at the base of his neck were unbelievably soft, and my fingers scratched through them to the skin underneath.

With a groan, Edward withdrew and then slid back inside me, repeating the action over and over again. I took it to mean that he was okay with me moving now and my legs went around his waist. There was no hesitation, no fumbling; my body knew exactly what to do.

I didn't expect to come at the same time as he did, or maybe not at all the first time, but the same tension in my belly told me that I could be wrong. Lifting himself onto his hands, his movements became a little more erratic; his eyes, too, were closed, centered on the pleasure my body was giving him.

My arms dropped from around his neck, my hands sliding over my breasts and pinching at my own nipples. That feeling of connection between them and my clit sent a jolt through me, and I realized that not all the sounds in the room were coming from Edward. Needing just that little extra something, my hand slid between my legs. That little tickle of pleasure built, radiating through me, sending me over the edge into ecstasy with Edward following shortly after.

With a sigh, he allowed his body to rest on mine for a short while before lifting off and laying beside me. I curled my body over his, as much of me touching him as I could. I swallowed hard at the realization that he already meant a lot to me―and we had such a short time left before Rose and I would have to be on our way back to Forks. Edward must have somehow known I was upset and pulled me closer.

"Did I hurt you, Bella?"

I shook my head, knowing that if I spoke right now, I wouldn't be able to keep the tears from falling. The silence wasn't uncomfortable and gave me some time to pull myself together so I could formulate an answer.

"I'm afraid, Edward."

He pulled back so I could see his face. "Why? What are you afraid of?" His eyes searched mine.

"That after this night―" I stopped and then tried again. "That we have to part soon, and I'm afraid that I'll never see you again." There; it was out. I'd stopped short at declarations of love, although I was certain that's what I was feeling.

For a few seconds, I worried that I'd said too much until he kissed me. "I don't think I can stay away from you. I know it sounds insane, but you're different; you're already more than just a one-time thing. You will see me again, babe. I can't lie and tell you there haven't been other women, but somehow, you're special to me."

My heart beat double-time, but I could feel its echo in Edward's chest. One thing I did know was that we would have an uphill struggle. My parents and school and yes, the band―all of those things would make it hard, but I was determined that I wouldn't let go of this chance.

The next time I woke, the room was lit with early morning light. I stretched and yawned and rolled over―cool, empty sheets. I sat up sharply. "Edward?"

I was relieved when he stepped into the room. "Just ordering breakfast, Bella. Is there anything you particularly want?"

"Surprise me," I said, standing and stretching again. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see his eyes drift of my body. A shiver of excitement ran through me and I felt my nipples pucker. Edward adjusted his cock in his jeans as he turned to order breakfast

My phone chimed with a new text.

 _ **You wanna come up to the penthouse, B? Emmett and the rest of the band is here and they'd love to meet you. Come and have breakfast.**_

Edward returned, holding his phone in his hand. "I just had a text from Emmett. You want to head up to the penthouse for breakfast?" He looked up, and I waved my phone. "You got the same invitation from Rose?"

I nodded as he stalked across the room toward me. Still naked, I should have felt awkward, or shy, or uncomfortable, but I felt none of those. Instead, my eyes flicked over his body from head to toe and back; I wanted him again.

Coming to a halt in front of me, his fully clothed body only an inch from my naked one, Edward leaned in until his lips ghosted over mine. "You have no idea how much I want you, do you?" He didn't give me a chance to answer before his lips landed on mine, his tongue forcing its way into my mouth.

When he lifted me I wrapped my legs around his waist, feeling deliciously decadent. My naked body against his fully clothed one was erotic. I could feel his hard abs contract against the heat between my legs.

Unfortunately, Rose's continuous stream of texts telling me to get my ass upstairs and bring her bag, eventually had me releasing his mouth way too soon. I pulled back a little, resting my forehead on his. "Much as I would like to continue this, if I don't get dressed and upstairs, Rose _will_ come looking for me."

When he released his hold on my thighs, I slid slowly and reluctantly down his body before sauntering into the bathroom to take care of the usual and brush my teeth. Returning to the bedroom, I grabbed jeans, a t-shirt and a warm hoodie along with my underwear, while his warm green eyes watched my every move.

He grinned when I played up dressing; a sort of reverse strip tease while I made my toward him, pushing him back on the bed to ravage his mouth. He didn't resist, pulling me down until I was laying on him.

"We have to go, don't we?" I whined when he pulled away.

"Unless you want the wrath of Rose, yes."

I sighed and stood, holding a hand out to him. "Well, I guess we'd better get moving, then."

Gathering my things and those Rose had left lying around, I packed it all away in our bags while Edward made sure nothing was left anywhere. Once all of that was done, there was no more prevaricating; it was time to leave.

Taking my hand, he smiled at me. "Don't worry, Bella. This isn't the end―it's a beginning."

Ten minutes later we were standing outside the door to the penthouse. It was unlocked and we stepped inside to raucous laughter and the smell of coffee and bacon. Rose was sitting on Emmett's lap where he was feeding her pieces of toast. The rest of the band was lounging around on various sofas and chairs, drinking and eating.

"Hey, Edward." Hands rose to greet him and he nodded back at them.

"That's Riley over there, and his girlfriend, Bree." Riley raised a hand to me, and Bree said a quiet hello. "Emmett you've already met, and over there is my adopted brother, Jasper, and my sister, Alice."

"Hi, Bella." Alice's voice trilled above the others. "I'm the PR manager for the band, and I take care of their wardrobe. Bree over there takes care of the bookings and the general organization. I know we're going to be the best of friends, so welcome to the gang."

Alice moved onto Jasper's lap and made room for Edward to take a seat. Pulling me onto his lap, we spent the next couple of hours chatting, eating, and drinking coffee. All too soon, it was time for Rose and me to be on the road and back home.

Leaning into Edward's body, I whispered, "I have to be going soon. Can we get out of here for five minutes?"

He nodded to the others and led me out onto the balcony. "I'm going to miss you, Edward."

"I'm not going anywhere, Bella. You're too important to me now."

"You say that now, Edward," I said, turning toward him. "But I'll be in Forks and then school, and you'll be playing to hordes of women. They all want you, you know?"

"I don't want them, Bella, I want you. I promise I won't disappear." He hesitated for a second. "I'm falling in love with you, and I couldn't let you go now if I tried. I know I'm quite a bit older than you and I won't get in the way of your education, but I'll wait until you're ready."

His declaration eased the sting of us being apart soon. "I don't need time, Edward, I'm in love with you already." There would be trials ahead. Mom and Dad wouldn't be pleased, and then there was four years of college to get through, and a lot could happen in that time. Edward and the band had to go where the music took them; it was a matter of trusting each other and working hard at a relationship.

I knew I had been gifted with a great love and there was no way I would ever let that go easily. Looking into Edward's green eyes, I could see his love and conviction there, and knew he would fight for us, too.

~o~ Gifted ~o~

The End

* * *

 **Hosts' note: Please leave the author some love. Reviews are encouragement. In case you have an idea of the author's identity, please do not disclose it in the reviews or anywhere else.**

 **Season's greetings**


End file.
